face in clouds
Unicode: 1F636 200D 1F32B
Description
A face with a blank or expressionless mouth, combined with a cloud, indicating a face surrounded by a fog or cloud.
Group:
Smileys & Emotion > face-neutral-skeptical
Status:
minimally-qualified
Emotion:
Typically represents being 'in a cloud', 'cloudy-headed', 'lost in thought', 'confused', 'disoriented', or feeling 'dreamy' or 'out of touch'. It can also convey a sense of being overwhelmed or feeling indistinct.
Backstory
This is a ZWJ (Zero Width Joiner) sequence, combining the 'Face Without Mouth' (1F636) and 'Cloud' (1F32B) emojis. The combination was approved as part of Emoji 13.1 in 2020. This allows for more nuanced expressions than single emojis, reflecting complex states like being surrounded by one's own thoughts or feelings of haziness.
Usage Examples
- Feeling confused: 'I woke up feeling so cloudy today. 😶🌫️'
- Lost in thought: 'Just thinking about all the possibilities... 😶🌫️'
- Feeling disoriented: 'My head is so foggy after that long meeting. 😶🌫️'
- Expressing being overwhelmed: 'So much information, I'm just 😶🌫️'
Cultural Differences
Western culture:
Often used to express confusion, feeling spacey, being overwhelmed, or having a 'foggy' mind (e.g., after waking up or being tired).
East Asian culture:
Can imply being deep in thought, daydreaming, or a general feeling of disorientation or being 'out of it'. Sometimes used for a gentle, whimsical confusion.